Air Quality

Consumer Resources

Why Exhaust Fans Improve Your IAQ

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Improved insulation and air sealing have made modern homes very energy efficient. This efficiency comes with a downside, however: poor indoor air quality. There is hope though! Using an exhaust fan in certain locations can improve the quality of your home's indoor air.

Benefits of Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans are extremely efficient at ventilating the rooms in your home to remove indoor air pollutants and lower the humidity levels.

Create a healthier indoor environment by removing allergens and pollutants

Prevent furniture and paint damage caused by excess moisture

Prevent formation of fungus, mold, and mildew due to excessive moisture levels

Placement of Exhaust Fans

In most homes, the bathrooms and the kitchen are common places for an exhaust fan. However, these fans can be installed in just about any room. You can also get fans that ventilate the entire house.

Ceiling mounted fans are commonly found in bathrooms. Some of these fans, known as combination exhaust fans, also contain lights and heaters to perform multiple functions. Wall-mounted fans are usually placed above free standing stoves and grills.

Kitchen range hoods usually have fans integrated which pull cooking odors and humidity out through the roof or the wall. A range hood just filters the air and ventilates it back into the room and is therefore, not an exhaust fan.

Inline exhaust fans and exterior remote fans pull air out of the entire house. The inline exhaust installs into the ductwork. An exterior fan mounts outside the house.